I thought the years with him as a kid were okay, but once SPF stepped into the role the series really took off for me. I loved most of those adventures, especially all the stuff in WWI. Oganga the Giver and Taker of Life was probably my favorite, but there were a ton of them I enjoyed, like Phantom Train of Doom, Attack of the Hawkmen, Trenches of Hell and Masks of Evil. It was cool to get so much insight into Indy's formative years.

Welcome to The Raven, WWI Era Indy! You have good taste. From what you've written, I can tell that you must have first seen the series on DVD which makes me all the more happy that they were released. It's always nice to hear of more people appreciating the show.

Quote:

Originally Posted by foreverwingnut

I loved the Young Indy series. I didn't like the hideous, grissled, old Indy that introduced several of the earlier episodes in the original television run, so I was happy to see that he was omitted in boxed sets. Seeing Harrison Ford introduce "The Mystery of the Blues" was such a treat and I'd love to customize a 12 inch figure to look as Ford did in that episode. If I had to pick a favorite episode, I would say it is "Attack of the Hawkmen", which also has the best DVD history docs. The trench battles in this series were the most epic I'd ever seen and would have been just as incredible if it were seen on the big screen. I liked the guest stars, too. When Catherine Zeta-Jones made her steamy appearance on this series, I knew she was going to be a mega-star. The only guest star I didn't like was the actress who played Mata Hari, who bore no resemblance whatsoever. The real Mata Hari was dark haired with dark eyes and had easily convinced everyone that she was an Indian princess. The actress in the series was fair-skinned, red-haired, blue-eyed and honestly not very attractive- very bad casting.

Foreverwingnut, I agree that Domiziana Giordano doesn't bear any resemblance to the real-life Mata Hari but I'm curious about how you knew that Catherine Zeta-Jones was going to be a "mega-star" after seeing her in this series. Her episode didn't air in the U.S. and by the time it was released on VHS in 1999, she had already become a big name in the business.

That said, yes, the trench battles are very well done and even though "Attack of the Hawkmen" isn't my hands-down favourite, it's VERY CLOSE to the top of my list!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JuniorJones

Is Montana actually Stoo! Prephaps they had a Freaky Friday moment!

Ha! Which one of us is Jodie Foster?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Montana Smith

Okay, I admit it. I tried on his pith helmet and something weird happened...

For a long time I went back and forth on this series. Sometimes loving it, sometimes hating it, sometimes being utterly torn...This series was an amazing achievement, and a wonderful expansion of Indiana Jones' story. Even if you divorce Indy's name from it, it's still a wonderful series and truly underrated. Rewatching the whole series recently has given me an even more profound respect for George Lucas that I hadn't had before, and while he wasn't River Phoenix, I feel Flannery did a great job as Indy. It also has ignited my interest in the history surrounding the time period covered in the series - especially the Carrier years. And I deeply wish the George Hall segments in the 1990s hadn't been cut.

I've come to appreciate the series more now. Maybe it's because I've reached the SPF episodes. The CC last episodes were better than the first. Russia, Greece and China were his best. I know more episodes were planned before the war but never made. Still I would've liked to see how Indy's mother passed away and what happened to Ms. Seymour. I think any further we should rely on the books instead. Even though there is a book I think Indy on the Titanic would make a great episode.

There is still so much you can do with (a young) Indiana Jones. I don't think it's all about the adventure but more the educational side. And Indy is a great character to help us learn about history of the early 20th century. But just history in general. That's why he's a teacher... part-time.

Trenches of Hell was great and the one with Mata Hari was alright. Maybe it was worked out a little weak, of course the bottom line is that Indy was being used by her. But I thought there would be more on Mata Hari being a spy. I don't know her that good, I'm going to have get into that some time.

Phantom Train was not bad when it was about the train but the second half was less interesting. Even though there was action in it. Paul Freeman was delightful in his role though.

I don't know when I'll watch the next one, need a little break, have been watching the past week now nearly everyday and it's always 90 minutes. I guess you'll find out, next time I post here.

I've been watching chapter 11 & 12 after a few days break. I'm halfway. The chapter in Africa was great and also when he's back in France. Indy was a Flyboy. But James Franco didn't show up. Interesting how Indy hates flying but doesn't have a problem with it in the movies. Maybe because he wasn't flying and does not have a problem with it if he can place his hat over his eyes and take a nap.

Interesting how Indy hates flying but doesn't have a problem with it in the movies. Maybe because he wasn't flying and does not have a problem with it if he can place his hat over his eyes and take a nap.

I've always figured that was meant as a point in the line of Indy's evolving relationship with air travel, along with "You know how to fly, don't you?" "No, do you?" and "Fly yes, land no!" (An idea, incidentally, that the City of the Gods script deftly puts a bow on, with Indy nonchalantly executing an impressive looking landing.)

No, that was the Frank Darabont script for what become ...Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, though it seems I conflated two moments in one action sequence.

Quote:

Indy snap-rolls the plane rightside-up again with a "no big deal" look on his face. Apparently, he's become an expert pilot since "Temple of Doom."

***

Indy wrestles the plane in a dead glide, dropping fast, desperately looking for a place to set down. He dead-sticks it toward a clearing, trying to line up for a landing.

INDY
Hang on!

The landing gear tears off as they clip a tree and belly-skid in. The wings are ripped off by passing tree trunks, then the plane finally comes to a stop. All things considered, it's a pretty damn good landing. Indy looks stunned that he pulled it off. He tosses a cocky smile over his shoulder at Marion...
...but she points. He turns forward to see FLAMES ERUPTING from the engine.

How long did the entire series run for and how many total episodes are there?

It's difficult to say because there are 2 incarnations of the series. There's the original broadcast The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and the home video release which is the most common and easiest to find; The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (I imagine this is the version you are watching?).

Chronicles has a really confusing history: it saw a total of 28 produced episodes (2 seasons, 1992-93), 4 of which went unaired and another 12 were coupled together to make 4 made for TV movies. Following the series' cancellation an additional 4 original movies were released between 1994 to 96.

Adventures is a recut of the original broadcast, with perhaps the biggest difference being, that most of the 'episodes' are actually 2 separate ones bridged together (sometimes clumsily) to make 90-minute long 'films' of which there are a total of 22. Others changes involve the removal of the Old Indy bookends, the release of the episodes in chronological order, the restoration of the unaired episodes and previously unseen footage from existing ones.

I have complete faith in my sources, but I would suggest talking to Stoo for more information. He has the most intimate knowledge of the series and might be able to clarify some things, including differences seen in broadcasts from outside of North America ...

Maybe somewhere between 1935 and 1938 he learned how to fly. I'd say 1937 than.

I imagine after he got home from India, he immediately took flight lessons, just in case.

On topic, I've re-watched a lot of the Young Indy series recently, and I really do appreciate it so much. A lot of it is a work of art. It captures not only an incredibly interesting period of time (well, three interesting periods of time), but also, while SPF isn't Ford's Indy, he shows potential to grow into that guy.